Decidedly Not Authentic, but....

I can't remember popcorn in Italy, but apparently it exists! (If I'd had this blog when we traveled to Ireland, I'm sure there'd be an entry about our search for pretzels -- found only on Aer Lingus.)

Yesterday's email load included Kirk Leins', Everyday Gourmet issue on Regional Sandwiches. In the issue he had a review of new products he'd tasted ("Quality Junk Food"!) and he mentioned Orville Redenbachers' Natural Popcorn, Salt and Cracked Pepper.

I thought about this all day, and when at home again, I made a batch of popcorn (virgin, no chemicals, no bags) in the microwave, and then drizzled it with Olio2go's Tenuta di Capezzana and dusted it with cracked pepper and sea salt. Snacked on the porch, while the neighbor gardened and it was an astounding delight!

You can request Kirk Liens' Everyday Gourmet by sending an email to: egcuisine@gmail.com

Chilly Spring

This has been the coolest spring that I can recall since we moved to Northern Virginia in the Fall of 1996. It has also been very cool at lax games. We've watched most while dressed in ski jackets. Last week's game against Westfield was warmer than most. Carly has her knee wrapping in this picture. (Yes, this sport is lacrosse, and the knee injury was from field hockey).

At least it was sunny yesterday, so I was able to sit on the porch (after work, after school, after Girl Scouts, before soccer) and not get up until I finished Jodi Picoult's Change of Heart. I found that the book opened fairly slowly, but as I read more, I wanted to accelerate through it. Now it is Tom's turn to read it.

Speaking of Tom, he made an interesting observation last evening. Carly's bedroom floor is covered with clothes and towels, while Katie's is covered with books. That speaks volumes!

I'm now about 20 pages into a book called "In Sicily" and am waiting to see how interesting it might be. If only I could resume knitting with the same dedication as reading. Right now I am only knitting snatches during lacrosse games.

The Spring and Summer activities are booking up quickly with camps for lax and field hockey, girl scout camping, driver ed "Behind the Wheel", and that nagging feeling that we should start college tours! And, there are forms to be completed...for physicals, pool passes, camp registration -- a whole folder full!

Memories of Italy and Bathrooms

Do these colors work for ....Tuscany? On Saturday, I was so blue! The night before, my boss, Jeff, had left for Italy, and on that same day (April 5th) two years ago, we had departed on our trip to Zurich, Venice, and Tuscany. A work project has me in touch with a home rental agency in Italy, allowing me to dream. From time to time, I wish the girls weren't so active in sports so we could take another great Spring Break to Italy.

In the mean time, activities abound. We had the JV Girls Lax team here Friday night. 15 for s sleepover! Katie's soccer started Saturday, and Carly had a field hockey tournament on Sunday. Oh, and we had our 24th anniversary on Monday. I couldn't find the card I'd purchased for Tom so I re-used the card he gave me last year. That was good for a laugh.

I ordered plants (Thanks Trudy and Tom!) that I hope will be here in time for the good weather on Thursday's forecast. It's been a very cool spring, and I can't wait to host a party on the porch, but first need to get the garden in order!

And, now for the bathroom picture. Isn't the granite gorgeous? We have no idea of the name, but are thrilled with the rock. Watercolors from Tuscany are being framed. The walls are Benjamin Moore Nantucket Gray, and the floor is a tumbled marble in a medium honey tan. Kids love the faucet. I think they really was their hands now.

The bathroom project is in the waiting stage as we wait for the framer, Greg at Roither's (recently moved to Occoquan), to say the mirror and artwork are done. I'm frustrated in the purchase of pulls for the cabinet. I really like Anne at Home's Roguery line, but can't decide whether Bronze with Copper (shown), Black with Copper or Black with Terra Cotta is the right selection. The towel ring just in the upper right of the picture is from that line, but in the washed white color. I need to figure out which darker color goes better with the faucet. No two manufacturers make an oiled bronze that looks the same. Some are very brown, and others are black like wrought iron. The Anne at Home line is all special order and the display at Home Depot's Expo store is a bit insufficient. And, how can a high-end store like that use a color copy to represent 40 color selections????

Reading: On the treadmill, I started to read After This by Alice McDermott, only to realized I'd previously read it. At bedtime, I'm reading a collection called Tuscany in Mind, and during daytime snatches (on the treadmill?) Jodi Picoult's Change of Heart.